Chinook salmon, spring salmon, king salmon, blackmouth • Oncorhynchus tshawytscha{Oncorhynchus = derived from Greek words for nail and snout; tshawytscha = common name for the species in Kamchatka, Russia}

Habitat & RangeChinook are anadromous, meaning they live part of their life in the ocean and part in fresh water. Fry hatch in streams and rivers (sometimes lakes) in spring and remain in fresh water for a varying amount of time before migrating out to sea. Most fry spend about a year in fresh water; however some head to the ocean only three months after hatching, while others stay in fresh water for up to three years. Additionally, once out to sea some Chinook stay close to shore while others migrate long distances (click here for a Pacific Northwest Chinook migration map; click here for a distribution comparison with the other Pacific salmon species). Chinook spend from two to eight years at sea before returning to their natal spawning grounds. The general Pacific salmon migration pattern is north along the coast, westward out to sea, then south and eastward back to the coast. Click here for freshwater distribution map for Chinook salmon in BC.

Chinook are native to both sides of the North Pacific: in the Pacific Northwest from the Bering Sea south to southern California; and along the coast of Asia from Siberia to northern Japan. They are also found in the Mackenzie and Coppermine River drainages in the Arctic. Introductions have been attempted at locations around the world, however only a handful of populations have successfully naturalized - these are in the Great Lakes, New Zealand, and Chile.

Similar SpeciesPink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), Chinook, and coho (O. kisutch) all bear black spots. The spots on pink salmon are large and oval-shaped, and on their back and tail fin. Chinook have spots on their back, dorsal fin, and entire tail fin, whereas coho have spots on their back and top tail fin lobe. Chinook and coho can also be distinguished by their lower gums, which are white in coho and black in Chinook.

Human UsesChinook are highly prized by sport fishermen due to their large size. The pigmentation of Chinook flesh varies from very pale, known as "white spring," to deep pink or red. Lamb and Edgell (2010) recommend using salmon with pale flesh for smoking, and baking or barbecuing individuals with more pigmentation.

Pacific salmon have been a vital food source - as well as a central cultural symbol - for coastal First Nations groups for thousands of years, and continue to be a key resource for coastal communities today.

Intriguing InfoThere are two behavioural types of Chinook. The "stream-type" fish remain in freshwater for longer and make long migrations into offshore waters. These fish return to freshwater to spawn in the spring and summer. "Ocean-type" Chinook migrate to sea within a few months of hatching, and spend the majority of their ocean life in coastal waters. These fish return to freshwater to spawn in the fall. Chinook are a genetically diverse species, and much of this variation appears to be due to the existence of the two behavioural types.